03x18 - Neverland

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Episode #318 - Neverland

[Scene: The Kiss. Pacey is on the side of the road kissing Joey, when she stops him, shoving hi as she talks to him.]

Joey: Ohh! Are you insane? How could you do that? How could you take some simple declaration of friendship as an invitation to just maul me, Pacey? Answer me. What were you thinking? What?

Pacey: What? I don't know. It--it--it was an impulse.

Joey: An impulse?!

Pacey: Yes, an impulse. You know, sudden, momentary, and, believe me, fleeting.

Joey: Do you have any idea of the monumental implications of that meaningless little impulse? The ripple effect that it could create in our small but fragile universe?

Pacey: You're right, Potter. Forgive me for thinking a kiss is just a kiss.

Joey: Well, it's true. A kiss is not just a kiss, not between you and me, and you know why. Dawson? Remember? He factors into this little... Hormonal meltdown.

Pacey: "Meltdown"?

Joey: Yeah.

Pacey: I just had a meltdown? Forgive me if I don't think that this is the worst tragedy in the history of humankind-- that Pacey Witter, in a moment of... Impulsive, compulsive, hormone-induced insanity, would have the nerve to kiss Joey Potter. And you let me do it. You did, you let me do it. So, what, now I guess the universe begins to unravel. Well, excuse me while I get in the car.

Joey: Oh!

Pacey: Would you get in the car, potter!

Joey: No!

Pacey: Will you just get in the car, potter, please?

Joey: No.

Pacey: I didn't even mean it. You know? This is me Pacey-- act first, think later. And now that I'm getting a chance to think about it, I take it all back, ok? So get in the car.

Joey: No.

Pacey: Jo, it's at least another 6 miles to your house. It is freezing cold outside. And if you don't get in, I'm just gonna do this the whole way there. So would you get in please?

Joey: [Sighs]

Pacey: So I guess I'm to take it from your angry silence that you're not speaking to me anymore.

Joey: Nope.

Pacey: Great, great. And how long you planning on keeping that up?

Joey: How does "indefinitely" sound?

Pacey: Fine.

Joey: Fine.

Pacey: Fine.

Joey: Fine.

[Scene: Joey's house and the diner. Bessie and Joey are talking at her house, and Doug and Pacey are at the dinner. The scene jumps between the two of their conversations about the incident that happened between them.]

Bessie: So, are you planning to fill me in, or do I have to die from anticipation?

Joey: What?

Bessie: How was it seeing A.J.? And leave no sordid detail unturned.

Joey: Well, let's see... We broke up, and then Pacey went insane and kissed me.

[Cut to Diner]

Doug: Hey, you kissed her. Good for you.

[Cut to Joey's House]

Bessie: Oh, my god. Oh, my god. How could he do this to you?

Joey: Well, technically, I maybe sort of... Let him do it to me, but I still blame him entirely.

[Cut to Diner]

Pacey: The whole thing was her fault. I mean, she told me that I was the one she thinks about. You know? Me. And then she gives me this look. What was I supposed to do? Do you know how long I've been waiting for her to give me that look

[Cut to Joey's House]

Joey: And then he gave me this look, this look, like...

Bessie: I know the look.

[Cut to Diner]

Doug: Look, I don't get it. She gave you the look. You kissed her, it was a good kiss. So what's the problem?

Pacey: Well, the hitting, punching, and rejecting. That might be a bit of a problem, not to mention—

[Cut to Joey's House]

Joey: Dawson. I mean, if he found out, I don't even want to think about what would happen if he found out. I know one thing-- we could kiss our friendship goodbye.

[Cut to Diner]

Pacey: He'd never speak to me again. I can't risk that. He's the brother I never had.

Doug: So what you're saying is Joey's like a bus.

Pacey: No. What I'm saying is Joey is like girl. No, no.

Doug: Hear me out, ok? Joey is like a bus that can't go below 50. Dawson is a b*mb hidden underneath that bus. And you are the brave, heroic police officer wanting to drive the bus to safety, but can't because of the b*mb.

[Cut to Joey's house]

Joey: Do you think it was more than just an impulse?

Bessie: I don't know, Joey.

Joey: You're sure a big help.

Bessie: I'm sorry. Look, I'm obviously not telling you what you want to hear because I honestly don't know. You know, maybe you should talk to someone about it, someone who could help you figure it out.

Joey: Who? Dawson, Pacey, Andie? This is what you're supposed to help me with.

Bessie: I can't shed light on this one for you. I'm sorry, Joey.

[Cut to outside diner]

Doug: You need to forge ahead. Things can work between you 2, if you first defuse the b*mb. Pacey, you need to tell Dawson about Joey. Ok? Now, the trick is to do it in a manner that makes it impossible for him to hate you. Now, what I suggest is you take him to a place that reminds him of the long history the 2 of you share, a place where he'll think about how much you really mean to him. Then you tell him. Oh, sure, yeah, he'll be upset, but he'll also understand that your friendship is more important to him. In fact, he'll probably respect the fact that you cared enough to tell him in the first place, in which case, he'll tell you to go right on ahead. And you and Joey can just drive off into the sunset.

Pacey: That's your advice?

Doug: And what is wrong with that advice?

Pacey: Nothing. There's nothing wrong with that advice. It's just very thought out and un-Dougie-like. However, even if your ridiculous plan was to work, you've left out a couple of minor details, I.E. Her hitting, her punching, her yelling—

Doug: Oh, grow up, little brother. Do you think she would've reacted so strongly if she didn't feel something for you, too?

Pacey: Hmm?

[Scene: Outside The McPhee house. Jack is eating breakfast, and Andie comes out to join him.]

Andie: Ohh! There was no hot water in the shower today, I ran out of shampoo, and I have 2 tests, french and math. What are you so smiley about?

Jack: Ethan's coming early this afternoon. He's going to spend the weekend.

Andie: Hmmm! Do I smell a romance a-brewin', big brother?

Jack: Come on. It is possible for 2 males to be friends without it turning sexual, you know?

Andie: Jack, I'm not talking about your orientation. I'm talking about the fact that you can't wipe that grin off your face.

Jack: I'm serious. I'm just glad i finally found a friend who actually, you know, accepts me for who I am and understands. It's just a gigantic relief, that's all.

Andie: So, uh, what does dad have to say about all this?

Jack: Well, he's got that business trip this weekend anyway, so I figured, you know, why risk a fight? What?

Andie: Uh, dad canceled it.

Jack: Unh! Ohh. Well, you know what? So what? You know, it's a harmless situation. I'm an adult, pretty much, and if I want to have a friend come over to the house, I can. You know? There's not a damn thing he can say about it.

Mr. McPhee: Not a damn thing who cay about what?

Andie: Uh, not a damn thing the congress can say to the president if he decides to veto that new tax initiative reform thingy.

Mr. McPhee: Ok. Bye.

Andie: Bye.

[Scene: School Hallway. Jen and Henry are walking and talking.]

Henry: Why are you smiling like that?

Jen: Oh, no reason. Let me ask you something, Henry.

Henry: Ok.

Jen: When, exactly, were you planning on telling me that tomorrow's your birthday?

Henry: How'd you find out?

Jen: I have my sources, and in honor of your birth, I planned us a little outing. Dinner, a movie, and then comes your present, which will remain a surprise so don't even try and get it out of me.

Henry: Jen, actually, I can't. Well, not tomorrow, at least.

Jen: Why not?

Henry: I have plans.

Jen: You have plans on your birthday?With who? Your other girlfriend?

Henry: With my mother and my family. You know, it's a family thing, no friends.

Jen: Oh.

Henry: I--I'm sorry.

Jen: That's cool. I mean, I understand that.

[One of the football team walks by him]

Jock: Hey, Henry. I'll see you at your party tomorrow, man. Can't wait.

Jen: You're having a birthday party and you didn't invite me?

Henry: Oh, ok, just--just let me explain, ok?

Jen: Oh, I can't think of one possible thing you would say right now that would dig you out of the grand canyon-size hole you are in. But while you frantically search for a shovel, I'm going to class.

[Scene: The school Cafeteria. Joey is carrying a tray, and sees Dawson at a table, and then sees Pacey join him, she looks around and sees Andie and goes to join her at another table.]

Dawson: Hey, man. I can't--Take a look at this. I can't believe they're doing that.

Pacey: "Construction to begin next week on phase 3 of capewoods condominiums." And?

Dawson: And? Pacey, they're gonna bulldoze our woods. Our fort. That's where we did all our pre-adolescent male bonding.

Pacey: Ah, yeah. Our first furtive glances at playboy, you watching me take my first sips of stolen beer.

Dawson: We should protest it, you know? We should handcuff ourselves to the fort, or

something.

[Cut Andie's table]

Andie: You seem a little-- I don't know-- weird, or something.

Joey: I'm fine.

Andie: I'm joking. So, how was your weekend? Anything interesting happen?

Joey: Um... Nah.

[Cut to Dawson's table]

Pacey: You know what we should do? We should go camping. You and I. Give the old fort one last hurrah.

Dawson: Really?

Pacey: Yeah, I mean, this could be our last chance, man. Pacey and Dawson paying homage to their swiftly disappearing childhood.

Dawson: That's a really good idea. Let's do it. Let's go camping.

Pacey: Great. Ok.

[Cut to Andie's Table]

Joey: What's wrong?

Jen: Well, my boyfriend is ashamed of me and a weaselly little liar, but other than that, I'm just peachy.

Andie: Sorry, Jen.

Joey: Me, too.

Jen: Well, given the pathetic track record of my love life, why would I expect any less?

Andie: Ok, you know what, friend other girls don't have these problems like we do. And you want to know why? Because they actually hang out together.

Jen: What do you mean?

Andie: I mean, this mood of yours is in clear need of a little estrogen energy boost. Not to mention the fact that there's this mysterious black cloud hanging over Joey's head. So, I think this calls for a girls' night out.

Joey: A girls' night out?

Andie: Yeah. Ok, don't you guys think it's a little abnormal that the two of you never hang out with anybody who doesn't have a penis? You'd be surprised at how powerful female bonding can be. Haven't you ever seen Thelma and Louise?

Joey: Andie, they k*lled somebody.

Jen: And then they drove off of a cliff.

Andie: Yeah, but the point is, they did it together. Solidarity. I mean, in this cold, cruel world, a girl can rely on one thing: Her sisters. I need a little female bonding, and so do you. So, what do you say?

Jen: You know what? I'm in.

Andie: Yay, Jen.

Joey: Yeah, I'm-- all right, I'm in.

Andie: Yay. Ok, you're not gonna regret it.

[Scene: The McPhee house. The doorbell rings and Jack opens to door to see Ethan.]

Ethan: Hey, Jack.

Jack: Hey. What's up, man?

Ethan: It's good to see you.

Jack: You, too.

[Mr. McPhee drives up.]

Jack: Dad. You're home early.

Mr. McPhee: Could I see you for a minute? What's the meaning of this?

Jack: No meaning, he's a friend.

Mr. McPhee: If you had just asked my permission, you would have saved yourself the embarrassment of having to tell that boy to go home.

Jack: He just took a 2-hour train ride from boarding school. I'm not telling him to go home.

Mr. McPhee: Jack, this is not a good weekend for guests.

Jack: This is not a good weekend for guests, or this is not a good weekend for the kind of guests that I would have?

Mr. McPhee: That is not what i said.

Jack: No, but it's what you mean. Look, dad, i don't care, all right? He's a friend, he's staying. I don't have to justify that to you.

Mr. McPhee: But you felt you had to keep it from me, which makes it all the more clear that it's not a good idea.

Jack: Yeah, I felt I had to keep it from you because I knew you'd react this way.

Mr. McPhee: My answer is no.

Jack: Look... You know what? I don't care what your answer is, because I'm not asking. When I moved back home, there was a promise that this would be an open household, that I could live my life free of judgment.

Mr. McPhee: As long as you're under my roof—

Jack: The only reason I'm here is because of Andie. You know what? I'm glad you came back here this weekend. 'Cause if watching me hang out with my friends makes you suffer, then you deserve to suffer. !

[Scene: Outside Buzz's house. Pacey is carrying Buzz on his shoulders and walks up to the house and puts him on the porch.]

Pacey: Gotta say, that was good work out there today, buzz. Couple more weekends like this and we'll be done. All right, down you come. You little monkey. All right, slap me some skin, man. It was good work.

Buzz: You can't leave yet. My friends are coming over and I told them all about my semi-cool mentor.

Pacey: I wish I could stay, but I already made plans, little buddy.

Buzz: Trying to give me a complex about my height?

Pacey: Look, this has been a ton of fun, but I'm already late to meet my buddy, ok?

Buzz: Girlfriend?

Pacey: No, nosy. I'm going camping with my buddy Dawson.

Buzz: But I want to go camping. Why don't you take me camping?

Pacey: Because I can't. This is a no-kids trip. It's just me and Dawson. But next time-- you and me, camping. I promise. How does that sound, huh? See you on Sunday?

Buzz: Whatever. Bye, Pacey.

Pacey: Ok.

[Scene: Jen's house. The girls are having their slumber party.]

Andie: I'll go first. Facials and pedicures. What do you think? Great! Ok, I'll go get the stuff ready.

Jen: So, what's up?

Joey: Not much.

Jen: Really? 'Cause, Joey, if you're going through a particular situation right now and you need somebody to talk to, somebody to shed light but yet who's still uninvolved, I just wanted to let you know I'm here.

Joey: Do you have any information you'd like to share about a particular situation?

Jen: You, me, Dawson, Pacey-- it's a real incestuous little group. Now, I know I'm just standing on the periphery, but it seems like there's a whole world balance that's definitely been shifting.

Joey: You know, what I'd like to know is... How some meaningless impulsive scenario-- which was over before it began-- somehow became public knowledge. And what makes you think that I want to talk about it?

Jen: Joey, nothing's public knowledge, and I have no idea what particular scenario you're referring to, but it's pretty clear from your attitude that it's not meaningless. And like I said before, if you need somebody to talk to, to help figure things out with it, I just wanted to tell you that I'm here.

[Scene: The McPhee house. Jack and Ethan are playing Chess. Mr. McPhee comes in.]

Mr. Mcphee: So, what are you kids up to?

Jack: What does it look like we're up to?

Mr. McPhee: Mind if I join you?

Jack: Actually, yes. Why don't you go over to Jen's with a pair of binoculars and spy on Andie for a while?

Jack: God. You'd think he'd be a little less blatant about watch dogging us. I'm sorry to put you through this.

Ethan: Don't worry about it. I've been there and back with my own dad. I know how to handle it.

[Scene: the sidewalk. Pacey and Dawson are walking together with backpacks on and talking.]

Pacey: How the hell did we do this when we were 10 years old?

Dawson: Then, all we had on our backs were a bag of chips and a couple Capri suns.

Pacey: Yeah, I guess a lot's changed since then.

Dawson: Yeah, of course.

Pacey: But change is good, right? I mean, change can be good. You know, sometimes even change that seems like it's bad can end up being good.

Pacey: Hey, there it is, man. Our old fort. Fruit of an entire summer's labor. Still standing. Dawson: You know, that's just typical.

Pacey: Of what?

Dawson: Of me. Everything-- the fence, the fort, the old lady, the dog-- I remember all these things as being bigger than life. In reality, they're just ordinary. Maybe my whole life was just ordinary.

Pacey: All this over an old fort? We were 9 years old when we built this, Dawson. What do you expect, the Taj Mahal?

Dawson: Of course not it's just I... I don't know. Recently I've been trying to connect with who I was in the past, when I had all this passion and I knew who I was, and things were simple-- magical, even. But now I just-- I don't know, maybe I never was that person. Maybe I just thought I was.

Pacey: You know, it's funny you should put it that way because what it sounds to me like is-- sounds like you're looking for an answer, you know? And so am I, because just this morning I was sittin' over breakfast with deputy Doug-- of all people to ask for an answer, but you know-- so he tells me that I should probably come to you because you're the one who's gonna have the answer that I need, so--

[rustling in bushes]

Dawson: Do you hear that?

Pacey: No. What?

[Buzz and some other boys ride up on bikes.]

Buzz: Yes! We found them! Hey! Neat fort!

[Scene: Jen's house. The slumber party is going on. They all have facials on and Andie is doing ]

Joey: Can we take this gook off now?

Jen: Ugh. I know. I can barely move my cheeks.

Andie: Still have 2 1/2 more minutes.

Joey: This popcorn is good.

Andie: Thanks. It was my mom's specialty when I was a kid. Reminds me of being a child. Don't you wish you could be 10 years old again? Everything was so simple and under control then. God, I felt so protected.

Joey: You know, I know what you mean. I mean, I miss the time when i could just climb the trees and roll around in the mud and hang out with the boys. It was like we were the same. None of this stupid man-woman stuff getting in the way. I felt free to just be myself.

Jen: I never really got to be a little girl. My mom wouldn't let me play in the dirt because it wasn't proper, and she wouldn't let me dress up in her high heels because they were too expensive. And she was not about to let me pig out because she was afraid I'd get fat.

Joey: All I want to do is eat ice cream. Eat ice cream, pretend to be a kid, and forget about those stupid boys.

Jen: Oh, I know. They're twits. Awful. I mean, maybe it's genetic or something, but enough is enough.

Jen: And they lie. Mmm.

Joey: They mess with your heads.

Jen: And the worst is when they have feelings for you and they won't even admit it. You know what?

Joey: I've decided on my activity. My favorite place as a kid. The roller rink.

Andie: Roller skating!

Jen: Good! I think that your activity can overlap with mine.

[Scene: The McPhee house. Ethan and Jack are getting ready to leave, and Mr. McPhee is in the kitchen.]

Ethan: Uh, Mr. McPhee, would you care to join us for dinner?

Mr. McPhee: Well, if you boys don't mind, I'd love that.

Ethan: Great. Let's go.

Mr. McPhee: Just let me get a jacket.

Ethan: Ok. What?

[Scene: The fort. Pacey comes back to join the group and is carrying a cell phone.]

Pacey: All right, I talked to your parents. They said it's ok for you to stay here tonight.

Boys: Yay!

Pacey: Yay. I just want you to know, a 10-year-old with a cell phone is just plain wrong.

Buzz: Dawson was gonna tell us a story.

Dawson: That's right, that's right. I was gonna tell you a story about a very old man who was very rich and decided to build a very unusual type of amusement park.

Buzz: With dinosaurs, and they called it Jurassic park, and I've seen it 12 times. Try again.

Dawson: Ok. Uh... All right, this is a story about a boy named Elliott who thought he saw a goblin in his tool shed out back and—

Boy #1: Hel-lo! That was a movie. It's called E.T.

Dawson: Ok, a great white shark?

All: No!

Boy #2: Why don't you tell us one of your stories.

Dawson: Ok. All right, well... This is a true story, and Pacey said I shouldn't tell you guys, but, you know, I think you can handle it. Actually, it takes place in the woods that we're sitting in right now. It's about an old man who actually used to live in that fort back there. It used to be his home. His name is Max, which is an ordinary enough name, but Max is not an ordinary guy. Max is evil. Nobody knows why, but he hates things that are adorable, kind, or even happy. And he walks around these woods. He used to be a lumberjack, so he carries this huge, bloody a*. He st*lks the woods k*lling bunnies, birds, whatever he can come across; but his favorite target... Is 9-year-olds. You ok, buzz?

Buzz: Just keep goin'.

Dawson: One day, max arrived home to find 3 boys sleeping in his house.

[Scene: The roller rink. Jen, Joey and Andie are roller-skating around the rink talking while wearing all these fancy scarves and makeup.]

Andie: You know what? I was thinking about what you guys said earlier, about how all guys are twits? And I think you're right, but I think there's more to it than that because... Sometimes, you know when they give you that certain look? You know, that look that says you are exactly where they want to be right now. And you feel it for them, too. And then you just melt like this big blob of ice cream, even when you don't want to. Pacey used to do that to me all the time. Right before he kissed me. Made my knees weak.

Jen: Henry's got a look like that. Does it to me every time. Whoa!

Andie: Ok, who wants to go again?

Jen: Oh, no. No, no, no. I'm gonna take a break.

Joey: Ok.

Andie: Come on, joey. Ok. Let's go. Bye.

Jen: Bye.

[Chanting] henry, henry, henry!

[Chanting] henry, henry, henry!

[Jen turns around to see Henry and others at his party]

Jen: Henry?

Henry: Hi.

[Scene: At dinner. Ethan, Jack and Mr. McPhee are there talking. Jack is kind of upset, and Ethan and Mr. McPhee are talking about cars.]

Ethan: You had a '57 ford thunderbird? I can't believe it. That's my dream car.

Mr. McPhee: Let me tell you, it drove like a dream, too. Mint condition. Cherry red, black interior, 8 cylinders, 3 speeds, convertible. Jack, do you remember that photograph your mother took of the two of us on the bumper when you were just a baby?

Jack: I guess I blocked it out.

Ethan: Why'd you get rid of it?

Mr. McPhee: Oh, you know. Kids and everything. It was impractical. But I loved that car. I cried when I traded it in. Tears.

Ethan: Oh, man. I can't believe that.

Jack: Me neither.

Mr. McPhee: I haven't thought about that in years. Jack used to beg me to take him for rides in it. You remember that car, Jack?

Jack: I think I already said no.

Mr. McPhee: Right. There's a classic car museum just down the road, stay open late on weekends. They've got a 1926 Cadillac. Blow your mind, Ethan.

Ethan: Sounds great.

Mr. McPhee: Jack?

Jack: Great.

[Scene: Back at the Fort. Pacey is digging near the fire, when he hits something with the shovel, and he pulls a box out of the ground.]

Pacey: Dawson. Hey, check it out, man.

Dawson: Oh, my god, I completely forgot about this. Ok, the ticket stub from the first time I saw Jurassic Park. And the second, and the third.

Pacey: That's just sad, man.

Dawson: Tell me about it.

Pacey: Hey, check this out. It's deputy Doug's pocket Kn*fe. You know, my dad never found the evidence, but he still gave me the spanking of a lifetime. Go figure.

Dawson: Oh, my god. Look at this. It's a picture of me and little Joey Potter. Look at how beautiful she was, even then. We had no idea.

Pacey: We must have been deaf, dumb, and blind not to notice.

Dawson: What's this? "The secret code of Pacey Witter and Dawson Leery." Do you remember this? You drew this up the day that--

Pacey: The day that we became blood brothers.

Dawson: Yeah. It's our oath of loyalty.

Pacey: Yeah.

Dawson: God, this is great. I can't-- I can't believe you found this. It's so-- isn't it weird how you can just, like, put your friendship with somebody in a box, bury it, and completely forget about it?

Pacey: Yeah.

[Scene: the Roller Rink. Jen and Henry are talking together while skating alone.]

Jen: Again, let me just assure you that this is a pure coincidence. I am not crashing your party, and your mom insisted that we stay, and that's the only reason. So you can stop being mad.

Henry: I'm not mad. Humiliated, maybe, but not mad.

Jen: Oh, wait a minute. First you lie to me about this party, then you hurt my feelings by not inviting me, and then I accidentally show up anyway, wearing this? And you're humiliated?

Henry: Can you blame me? Look around, Jen. This place is fit for a 6-year old. I told my mom I'd do it this last time. How could I have brought you? You wouldn't have possibly understood.

Jen: Come on. How do you know what I'll understand unless you tell me?

Henry: It's been hard enough trying to get you to stop thinking of me as an innocent little kid. Then what-- bring you to this? Come on.

Jen: Henry, how many times do I have to tell you this? Your innocence is one of the best things about you. It's helping me find the same thing within myself. You don't have to hide who you are. Not from me.

Henry: So are you saying that you forgive me?

Jen: I'm saying I don't like being lied to.

Henry: No. I'm sorry. I understand if you never want to speak to me again.

[He skates away.]

Jen: So dramatic. Come back here, parker! You know, by the way, your birthday present would have been a copy of Born to Run. Mint condition, on vinyl.

Henry: Would have been?

Jen: Well, I--I--I-- I sort of sold it back to the record store and bought some angry chick music.

Henry: I guess it's the thought that counts.

Jen: Yeah, something like that. Happy birthday, Henry. Come here.

[She kisses him]

[Scene: The car museum. Mr. McPhee is sitting in a car, and talking to Ethan about it, and you can see that Jack is upset about it.]

Mr. McPhee: The beauty of the old cars is the simplicity. Everything's right here. There's nothing a*t*matic. You have to prime this--

Jack: Can I, like, talk to you over here for a moment, please?

Ethan: Sure. What's up?

Jack: What's up is that I didn't ask you to come and visit so we could hang out with my dad, who hates me, ok? And doesn't even try to understand me. Who can cry tears over a stupid car but can't muster up a shred of emotion for his own son. No, no. He stopped being my father a long time ago, Ethan. I don't want to spend some excruciating evening being reminded of that. I mean, come on. This is a nightmare.

Ethan: Jack, calm down. I mean—

[Mr. McPhee has overheard this.]

Mr. McPhee: Boys, I'm gonna head back. You can get home ok?

Jack: Yes.

Mr. McPhee: You know, I really thought things were getting better. I was so grateful for tonight. I cancelled my business trip this weekend to spend time with you. I guess I'm just not the father you want... Or need.

[Scene: at the fort. Dawson and Pacey are lying down to sleep next to the fire.]

Dawson: Pace, you awake?

Pacey: Wide awake. Yes. What's up, man?

Dawson: It finally occurred to me what in my life hasn't lost its luster with time. It's my friendships. You know, I might be unsure of a lot of things in my life, but I'm always gonna be sure of you... And Joey.

Pacey: Me and Joey, huh?

Dawson: Yeah. I mean, you-- you're... You're pure loyalty. You're still the guy who drew up that oath we took when we were kids. Still the guy who'd do anything for a friend.

Pacey: And Joey?

Dawson: Joey? She's my conscience. My soul mate. My inspiration. The point is, I'm really glad to have you guys in my life. I'd be lost without you.

Pacey: You know, if I'm loyalty, Dawson, it's only 'cause you cast me in the role. You're the storyteller, you know? You see everything and figure out what it means. Did you see the look on those kids' faces while you were telling them that story tonight? How caught up they were? You're the guy who builds this fantastic world. You just let the rest of us live in it.

Dawson: These days, it doesn't feel so fantastic.

Pacey: It will, bro.

[Scene: Jack's bedroom. Ethan is setting up the spare bed and getting it ready, while Jack is getting his own bed ready.]

Jack: Good night.

Ethan: Hold on, man. Don't you think we should talk about what happened tonight?

Jack: Actually, I'd like to pretend it's all a bad dream.

Ethan: Well, that would be a mistake, Jack. Look, I know you're mad at me, but don't be. I was just trying to help.

Jack: No. I'm not mad at you. I'm just-- I'm just mad. I don't know. I mean, tonight... Tonight he just somehow managed to make it look like he was the victim in this whole thing and like I was some kind of malicious ogre, but it's not like that.

Ethan: God, Jack. Don't you get it? You're both victims here. And it's not gonna get any better unless you start letting go some of that anger.

Jack: Yeah, but he's the one who did this to me. Ok? He's the one who made me this angry. A year, Ethan. A whole year he spends walking around like I'm the worst thing that ever happened to him. And he cancels one trip so he can passive-aggressively throw it back into my face, and everything's supposed to magically fall back into place? It doesn't work like that.

Ethan: Well, let me tell you how it does work, Jack. You keep walking around with all that anger, you and your dad are gonna lose another year... And another one. Before you know it, you're gonna wake up one morning and realize that you need him... Or he needs you... But it's gonna be too late. You know, the other nice side effect of letting go of your anger is that you don't have to be angry anymore. Just think about it. Good night, Jack.

Jack: Good night.

[Scene: Back at Jen's House. Andie and Joey are getting ready for bed in the bathroom . Joey leaves Andie in the bathroom and Joins Jen in her room. They start to talk, but Joey keeps making sure that Andie is not coming.]

Joey: Weird night, huh?

Jen: Yeah, I'd say.

Joey: I was talking to Bessie the other day and... She told me to talk to somebody about this and... I can't believe I'm telling you, but... Pacey kissed me the other day.

Jen: Yeah, I figured this thing would come to a head sooner or later.

Joey: Nothing came to a head. I mean, there is no thing. I'm just freaked out and angry, and I don't understand why he would do something like this. I mean, it came out of nowhere, and...

Jen: Well, if it came out of nowhere, then how come I'm not surprised? You should ask yourself, Joey, if this is really nothing... Then why are you so upset and so confused?

[Scene: the McPhee house. Mr. McPhee is downstairs working on some stuff for work alone, when Jack comes down to join him.]

Mr. McPhee: It's late. What is it?

Jack: Yeah, I just, um... I just wanted to ask you why... Why this weekend, why this trip, why now? When for the past year you've treated me like I was a leper. Answer me that, why?

Mr. McPhee: It was just... Time. I was talking to Richard at the office. He has a son just failed out of his fourth college, got caught stealing a car, drug problem--whole nine yards. It just suddenly occurred to me... Jack is a good kid. I have a good kid, and I don't even know him. But I want to know him. So I canceled my trip. Look, I don't see what the big deal is. Somebody had to make the first move.

Jack: I just didn't think it would be you.

[M. McPhee makes a move on the chess board, and Jack follows.]

[Scene: The fort. Pacey and Dawson are talking while the boys are getting ready to go.]

Pacey: I'll talk to you later, huh?

Dawson: Alright, I'll see ya.

Pacey: Let's go, guys.

Buzz: Bye, Dawson. Watch out for max and his bloody a*.

Dawson: See you guys.

[Scene: the local store. Buzz and Pacey are walking through it.]

Buzz: I'm gonna get 12 pixie sticks and 5 candy bars.

Pacey: How about an orange soda and a box of pretzels?

Buzz: One pixie stick, one candy bar, and an orange soda.

[They turn the corner and run into Joey.]

Pacey: Hey.

Joey: Hey.

Buzz: Hey.

Pacey: Just a second. Listen, if you'll give us 2 minutes, I'll give you 10 sodas and a box of sugar. What'd you say?

Buzz: Done.

Pacey: There you go. [ Hands him some money]

Pacey: Hey.

Joey: Hey again. About the other night—

Pacey: So I guess I …

Joey: You go first.

Pacey: Well, uh, I just-- I--I wanted to... I just wanted to say that, uh... I'm sorry. You know, all that stuff about disaster and Dawson and the ripple effect in our universe, it was all right. I mean, what I did, that was just monumentally stupid. I don't know what I was thinking, so...I just wanted you to know it was an impulse, plain and simple. One's that left my body. Permanently. I promise.

Joey: It's ok, Pacey. I mean... I totally overreacted. I mean something isn't a big deal unless you let it be. And--and it... You know, it's-- it's not a big deal. Why get so upset? I mean, it obviously meant n-nothing. Right?

Pacey: Right. Right because what I did was a mistake. Right.

Joey: Right.

Pacey: Well, uh... I guess that puts us back to just being friends.

Joey: Definitely.

Pacey: Great. Uh...Alright. Well, uh... Yeah, I should probably get going. Once that kid gets all that sugar in him, watch out. He's a little terror. I'll probably have to chase him back home. It's 2 miles. Not pretty.

Joey: Well, then I guess I'll see you later, Pacey.

Pacey: Yeah, I'll see you later, Jo.

[Outside Buzz and Pacey are walking his bike together]

Pacey: You grab the front, I'll grab the back? 1, 2, 3... Grab it. There you go.

Buzz: Is that her?

Pacey: Who?

Buzz: The girl.

Pacey: What girl?

Buzz: The girl you want to kiss, stupid. The one you're in love with.

Pacey: Nope.

Buzz: Yeah, it was.

Pacey: Please, what do you know?

Buzz: It was her, it was her, it was her.

Pacey: Eh, get a life of your own, huh?

Buzz: Ha! I'm right.

Pacey: Right? You don't even know what right is. Please, get out of here.

[Joey comes out of the store and watches Pacey walking away with Buzz.]